So far I LOVE what I have seen. Seems to be the perfect combination of phonics, vocabulary, fluency, & comprehension. I believe ALL are important. You also know I believe sight words are an important part of learning to read and I just love what AAR has done with the teaching of sight words. The words that cannot be sounded out have a little “bad guy” printed on them with a sign that says “Rule Breaker” ~ how cute is that? It reminds the student that some words don’t follow the rules we learn and need to be memorized by sight from the very beginning. The first Rule Breaker word is “the” and appears in lesson 3. Krash loves the rule breaker words!

If you have specific questions about your particular situation/child, I highly recommend contacting Marie from the All About Learning website, she is wonderful and helpful!

You will be seeing my ongoing review of All About Reading Level 1 and many details in my regular Kindergarten with Krash posts.

I also describe why we chose to review AAR in the FAQ section of my “Current Curriculum” post.
I know this is a pricey investment and I want to help you in any way I can to make the best decision for your family. If you would like to read a few reviews from moms I trust and know, let me guide you to some…

Monday, January 9, 2012

We are still loving Table Talkers, and it has become the tool that helps my Krash to focus on eating. If he isn’t eating-he can’t join in with our fun! We don’t play every night, but it has stayed a regular thing for us. We even switched up some of the games over the holiday season to do Christmas versions, it was fun coming up with our own games based on the ones in the eBook!

I am excited that Erin is partnered with 1+1+1=1 as a blog sponsor and is offering another chance to win not only her Table Talkers eBook, but also this amazing eBook, A Year of Sugar Scrubs…

Erin sent me the eBook to review and it was simple and even looked like something I could handle! Check out these pictures of gift examples she has on her site:

What amazing gifts these would make for those of you who like to make creative gifts to give!

The eBook contains,

instructions and helpful tips at the beginning

2 unique recipes per month, a total of 24

printable gift tags to include for gift giving…

BUY IT!

If you’d rather not wait to see if you win, you can purchase Table Talkers for just $4.99.

Enter using Rafflecopter below, comments do not count as entries-all info can be entered into Rafflecopter. If you don't see the widget, click Read More below and be sure you have Javascript enabled.&lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&lt;/a&gt;.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

We have used Grapevine Studies for years. We completed Old Testament Overview and are now working through New Testament Overview.
We were recently given the chance to review theBirth of Jesus study and will be working through it as a family soon! It is a shorter study, that is just perfect to do at this special time of the year!

Here’s more info about the 2 different levels {we were given both to review}, we will most likely be using the beginner level this year since only Pac could handle the multi-level.

Children and teens will travel back to the first century for a fresh look at the events surrounding the birth of Jesus! The timeline of the Nativity will come alive through the Bible study of the characters and events surrounding the birth of Jesus. On this journey students will map the travels of Joseph, Mary, and Jesus.

Preschool and kindergarten Bible students will saddle up their donkeys and take an unforgettable journey back in time to discover the amazing events that surrounded the Nativity.

Use the discount code Advent11 and your will receive 20% off on any item not already on sale from now until December 31!

Use Rafflecopter to enter to win both a student and teacher book {print or eBook-your choice}. US only for print copies, open to anyone for eBooks. Comments do not count as entries, enter all info into the Rafflecopter form. Click READ MORE if you don’t see the Rafflecopter widget below!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

I am so thrilled to share John Bowman’s new website for his awesome eBook Montessori at Home! Not only is the website all snazzy and new, the eBook is updated in a SUPER fabulous way. I have a copy of the new edition and it is a serious upgrade! I loved the original and can’t even believe how much better it is now. If you already own the original, you should have received an email from John with the updated version for free. If you don’t already own this eBook, and are teaching young children, this book is awesome ~ you really should have it!

In honor of the new site launch and the new edition of the book, John has a special treat for all of you! Three, yes 3, of you will have the chance to win the eBook, and all of you have the opportunity to purchase the eBook at a discounted rate of only $6.95 from now and for 2 weeks AFTER the giveaway closes.

Here’s some detailed info about the new version …

The newly released Second Edition of Montessori At Home! is a 296 page, multimedia Ebook that guides you through the entire process of doing Montessori early learning activities at home. Complete background and how-to chapters are followed by clear directions for over 250 early learning materials and activities. Many activities use materials you may already have or which can be obtained easily and inexpensively almost anywhere. Clear directions and guides help you become a great Home Teaching Parent. The ebook comes to you in a PDF file, readable on all kinds of computers and tablets. Numerous links to sites and videos - many for your child to watch - expand on the information and activities in the ebook. 42 Pages of printouts are included to use with many of the activities. There is no resource for parents quite like Montessori At Home!Montessori early learning activities support and facilitate the natural sensitive periods to growth and development that 3-6 year old children everywhere experience. These are the years when our foundational brain architecture is formed. Montessori activities engage and coordinate a young child's attention, sensory skills, movements, and developing intellect. The results include stronger brain architecture, a positive self-image, and early reading, writing, math, and science skills - a great preparation for success in school.

If you are one of the 3 winners, you will not only receive a copy of John’s amazing eBook, you will also receive a copy of "The Montessori At Home! Materials Bundle"! I adore Montessori Print Shop and use TONS of their printables, you can read my past review here.
The Montessori At Home! Materials Bundle includes 21 printable files that compliment the Montessori At Home! eBook. It includes a few materials from most areas covered in the eBook, and will get you off to a great start learning what your child is most interested in. The value of the 21 printable files is $60.49 if purchased individually. The Bundle is available for $28.89, but is FREE to the winners! BUY IT!
You can purchase Montessori at Home! eBook for the discounted price of $6.95 from now through December 17, 2011. Use this link to purchase it at the discounted price!

WIN IT!
3 of you will win both the eBook and the bundle! Use Rafflecopter to enter, no blog comments will count as entries. If you don’t see the Rafflecopter widget, be sure to click on “read more” and make sure you have Javascript enabled!

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

We are still loving Table Talkers, and it has become the tool that gets my Krash to focus on eating. If he isn’t eating-he can’t join in with our fun!

I am excited that Erin is back as a blog sponsor and is offering another chance to win not only her Table Talkers eBook, but also this amazing eBook, A Year of Sugar Scrubs…

I must be totally honest with you-I am not a crafty gift giver, nor am I a make-my-own-sugar-scrub kind of gal, BUT I know that many of you are which is why I said YES to host this eBook along with Table Talkers!

Erin sent me the eBook to review and it was simple and even looked like something I could handle! Check out these pictures of gift examples she has on her site:

What amazing gifts these would make for those of you who like to make creative gifts to give! I would love to receive these, I just won’t be creating them! I don’t even know much about sugar scrubs, but they sure sound yummy and look beautiful!

The eBook contains,

instructions and helpful tips at the beginning

2 unique recipes per month, a total of 24

printable gift tags to include for gift giving…

BUY IT!

If you’d rather not wait to see if you win, you can purchase Table Talkers for just $3.99 {limited time, regular price is $5.00}! You really can’t beat that, huh? Get some great new fun dinner time ideas and support another mom in her creativity!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

I have met many creative moms online, and Annie is one of them! You probably know Annie from her blog, The Moffatt Girls ~ which is how I “met” her too. We have gotten to know each other via email and have even collaborated on a few things, sharing ideas back and forth! Annie creates printables and has opened up shop over at Teachers Notebook, The Moffatt Girls Shop.

Annie has been sending me many of her creations to preview and review so I could share with you and offer a giveaway!

We have been using Annie’s printables for Krash who is in Kindergarten. Here are a few of our favorites.

Sight Word Caterpillar, which is FREE in her shop and was created to go along with my You Can Read program {thanks Annie!}
We love Annie’s creations and know you will too! It is an honor to share another creative momma with you!BUY IT!
If you’d rather not wait to see if you win, you can purchase items from The Moffatt Girls Shop and even find several freebies.

WIN IT!
Annie is giving three readers any three individual items (bundles not included) from her Teachers Notebook Shop.

Remember, if you don’t see the Rafflecopter entry form below, you need to enable Javascript and click on the READ MORE below!&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://rafl.es/enable-js"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;.

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

I was recently sent this eBook to review and was a bit nervous because mealtime around our house is a bit chaotic thanks to a special someone who detests eating in general. Our little precious Krash is our meal time trouble maker and often brings me to the point of almost tears. PacMan is the exact opposite, loves and eats everything! Ladybug is a good mix-some nights rejecting like K and some nights embracing new foods like P. The idea of adding fun to this time of the day seemed about as possible as, hmmm…pigs flying, and more. You know, it seemed virtually impossible.
But, we gave it a go and I printed out the wonderful cards to keep handy at the table and I read through them to choose a few that I thought might be worth a shot for my 2, 5, and 9 year old.

Thankfully the night we first tried a Table Talker idea, we were eating a meal that Krash liked, so it was a relative good-mood evening. We started out with a game that has since become a family favorite. Someone has to think of a movie/tv show that we are all familiar with {example Nemo}. Then the person gives a 1 word hint {example: fish}. We each get a turn to guess based on just the one word clue. If nobody gets it, the person gives a second clue {example: ocean}. I was AMAZED with how many we got with just 1 word! For example I thought of the movie Robots and my clue word was “dishes” and Pac got it right away!

On another night, the night I decided to snap a few pictures, we were eating a meal Krash does not prefer and attitudes were flying, but we were still able to get some laughs in that otherwise wouldn’t have been there. When I snapped these photos, they were pointing out shapes in the room.
One of the games is to think of a shape and go around the table to have each person point out something that is that shape. This is perfect for younger ages, and even PacMan enjoyed it!
Ladybug doesn’t actually play yet, but she giggles right along with us and I do believe enjoys our family mealtime much more without all of the somber faces. Mealtime had truly become a time of day that I just wanted to be over. I don’t love mealtime due to the struggles but adding in Table Talkers has brought much joy to my heart!

I can fully recommend Table Talkers as a worthwhile purchase for your family. It is currently only $2.99 and was created by another mom, so you know I love supporting her creative efforts also! For $2.99 you get 52 simple ideas to make your mealtime more fun. I would say if you have a child from the age of 3 or older this would be for you. There are many simple games and some more advanced ones that older children would really get into. There are even blank cards to have your family think of their own and write them in to have in your Table Talkers set.

I laminated our cards and put them on a metal ring so I can have them at the dinner table always. I also loaded the eBook onto my iPad too. You can load any PDF file into iBooks by importing the PDF file through your iTunes account and then plugging in your iPad to sync. It’s really that simple!BUY IT!
If you’d rather not wait to see if you win, you can purchase Table Talkers for just $2.99! You really can’t beat that, huh? Get some great new fun dinner time ideas and support another mom in her creativity!

WIN IT!
Erin is giving away a copy of Table Talkers to 3 different winners!